Parallel-ruler



M. H.HEWITT. PARALLEL RULBR.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN H. HFVITT, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

PARALLEL-RU LER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,298, dated June 16, 1896.

Application filed December 22, 1894. Serial No. 532,720. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVIN H. HEWITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Chemun g, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Ruler, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a ruler to guide a pen or pencil in ruling accounts. My objects are, iirst, to have the ruler in the proper place for guiding the pen or pencil in making the second of double lines without having to release the pressure of the hand which holds the ruler in position for the first line, adjust it by guess and press down the second time; second, to make the lines parallel and always of uniform distance apart; third, one that can be used with either side up and with the end or edge toward the operator. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through- Vout the several views.

Figure l is a top view. A and B are made of wood, B having a beveled edge which is fitted with a brass guide c. a a are two steel rivets fitting tightly in B and moving easily in A a distance equal to the space between A and B. b b are two brass spiral springs for pressingA and B apart. Fig. 2 is the reverse side of Fig. l, showing the groove d; Fig. 3, a cross-sectional view on the line 0c c of Fig. l. Fig. 4E is a similar view on the line y y of Fig. 2.

W'hen using the ruler in the position of Fig. l, two ingers are placed on the beveled edge of B, two upon the top of A and the thumb against the outside edge of A. After drawing with a pen or pencil the first line along the edge c the two lingers on the edge of B press it against the part A, which stops it in the exact position for making the second line. For using the ruler with the reverse side up, Fig. 2, the position of the fingers is the same except that two of them occupy the groove d. Part B is not as thick as part A, Fig. 3, and B not resting upon the paper, moves easily and is not as liable to blot.

I do not claim the brass edge c as an invention of mine as I am aware that it has been in previous use.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A ruler composed of two parts movably joined together and provided with springs normally pressing them apart, substantially as shown and described.

2. An improved ruler for ruling two parallel lines in ledgers, account-books, dac., comprising the part A adapted to be held in position on the surface to be ruled, and the part B secured to the part A and normally held away from the same, the parts being grasped between the thumb and lingers of one hand, whereby one of said lines may be ruled, said part B being movable toward and in contact with the part A by contracting the fingers toward the thumb, whereby the second of said lines may be ruled, substantially as set forth.

3. An improved ruler for ruling two parallel lines in ledgers, account-books, dac., comprising the part A adapted to be held in position on the surface to be ruled, the part B being movable toward and away from the part A, the rivets a, a, for holding said parts together, and the springs h, b, for normally holding the two parts away from and parallel to each other, whereby the first of said lines may be ruled after which the part B may be moved toward and in Contact with the part A, whereby the second of said lines may be ruled, substantially as set forth.

4L. An improved ruler for ruling two parallel lines in ledgers, account-books, &c., comprising the part A adapted to be held in position on the surface to be ruled, the part B movable toward and away from the part A, the rivets a, a, for holding said parts together with the part B on a higher horizontal plane within the part A, and the springs b, b, for normally holding the two parts away from and parallel to each other, whereby the first of said lines may be ruled after which the p'art B may be moved toward and in contact with the part A, whereby the second of said lines may be ruled, substantially as set forth.

5. An improved ruler for ruling two parallel lines in ledgers, account-books, dac., comprising the part A adapted to be held in position on the surface to be ruled, the part B movable toward and away from the part A, the rivets roo a, cb, for holding the said parts together, the springs b, Z), for normallylloldng the two parts' away from and parallel to each other, and the groove or recess in the part B, whereby the first of said lines may be ruled after which the part B may be moved toward and in oontaot with the part A, whereby the second of l said lines may be ruled, substantially as set forth.

MELVIN Il. IIEXVITT.

lVtnesses:

LEWIS W. SANBORNE, LE ROY E. BROWN. 

